The Myth of Multi-Tasking by Sellena Ford

Time and time again I have an internal debate about multi-tasking, because I just can’t get away from it!  Just the other day I jokingly said to a friend’s husband, “Not too good at multi-tasking are you!”  He didn’t take offence, but merely turned to me with a look that said, why would I want to?  And actually he is right; it’s not big and it’s not clever.  There are numerous articles that back up the myth around multi-tasking.  It’s a necessity, but an unwelcome one.  I personally believe it’s more common in women; the ability to field phone calls, cook dinner, check accounts, walk the dog, time manage, ensure attendance at children’s evening clubs is most mother’s weekday night and I haven’t even tackled the working mother.

The article link below from Forbes in November last year, did stop and make me think.  “And not only that, trying to do too many things at once causes the brain to lose the capacity for deep thinking altogether.”  Well actually, put like that….

http://www.forbes.com/sites/nickmorrison/2014/11/26/the-myth-of-multitasking-and-what-it-means-for-learning/

Zest run a workshop around exactly this subject.  I have attended it, thoroughly enjoyed the concept of how to focus one’s energy and actually put this into practice once back in my real life.  Like many training programmes, courses and workshops, the learning is sometimes short lived.  We are totally committed initially, but as time (and life) moves on, we forget the learning as everything else takes over.  What we should be doing is making time to remember the benefits of energy focus, ridding ourselves of distractions and working out what matters most.

Looking after our mental, physical, emotional and spiritual energy are paramount when looking at being a good decision maker, a good leader, a good mentor and a good team player.  Concentrating on the job at hand, being motivated and centred, rather than fractured and “flitty”, can only benefit the organisation, your colleagues and ultimately yourself.  So essentially, this has been a reminder to you, and to me, that you need to go “Beyond Multi-Tasking”, as this place really does exist.